What defines 'legal standing'?

Legal standing is defined by the ability of an individual or entity to demonstrate both harm and a direct connection to the case being presented in court. This means that for someone to have standing, they must show they have been personally affected by the issue at hand, thereby establishing their stake in the outcome of the legal proceedings. The requirement to prove harm ensures that the courts are not inundated with cases brought by individuals who do not have a real, tangible interest in the situation being litigated, which helps maintain judicial efficiency and relevance.

The other options do not capture the essence of legal standing appropriately. While representation in a lawsuit (as stated in the first option) might relate to access to legal proceedings, it does not pertain to the requirement of demonstrating harm. The right to appeal a court decision is a separate legal concept dealing with procedural rights after a judgment has been made, not with the ability to initiate a lawsuit. Lastly, criteria for class action lawsuits concern a specific type of legal action and are more about procedural requirements and group representation than about individual harm or connection to a case.